Question

An aluminum wing on a passenger jet is 36m long when its temperature is 18°C. At what temperature would the wing be 3 cm (0.03 m) shorter?

Answer 1

- 16.72° C

Step-by-step explanation:

L = 36 m

T1 = 18° C

Let it is 3 cm shorter at T2.

ΔL = 3 cm = 0.03 m

ΔT = T1 - T2

coefficient of linear expansion for Aluminium, ∝ = 24 x 10^-6 / °C

Use the formula for the thermal expansion

`\Delta L =L*\alpha *\Delta T`

`0.03 =36*\24*10^(-6)\Delta T`

ΔT = 34.72

T1 - T2 = 34.72

T2 = T1 - 34.72 = 18 - 34.72 = - 16.72° C